When we first got to Tenerife, I think I was under the impression I might have a lot of free time, thus the promise to blog all of the time... however... I was wrong. The cabin I'm sitting in became unbearably hot, so I pretty much avoided it for a while, and neglected the computer for a few days, plus oh man is there so much to do here. Thankfully pretty much all of the 'finds' I've made are surprisingly cheap. I think the US has something to learn from Tenerife...
Exhibit A...
Today, I went to Panaria, where I got a coffee and a pastry ... THEN, I got a sandwich made with facaccia, brie cheese, micro greens, tomato and amazingness along side a MASSIVE orange juice, which was fresh squeezed... it's this giant machine that they throw oranges into whole and it throws them around and juices them.... EPPPIC... All of this for a whoppingggg... 8 Euro.... aka 10 USD... Um... HELLLOOOO?!?! I could NEVER get any of that for this price let alone together at home... EVER... Wow!!
I really wish I hadn't let my spanish skills get rusty... they are SOOO rusty.. thankfully the people here are really nice about it and smile when I try... hasn't gotten in my way so far..;)
Anyway... For those wondering, I'm doing really well. I thought this time would be a lot harder on me than it has been. 95% of my friends have left and many for good, so it's a bit of a transition for me. I think part of it is that it just hasn't hit me yet that these people are gone for good... I think it will, and I dread that day, but for now I'm fine. Thankfully a lot of these people are people I see myself meeting again in the future, so that's always comforting.
I was able to switch jobs from June 1 till now, which was amazing. I LOVE working with these kids... it was a great time of getting to know them better, learn more about my leadership style- which things I need to work one, which worked, etc... it was also great to watch these kids really dig in to the discussions we had about the bible and the Psalms... well most of them did at least;) Our group LOVED to tell stories to eachother, so there were days our Devotion time went 30 minutes past what I'd planned because we just were on a roll with the stories:) My only disappointment is that it's over now and reception will have me back as of July 18. Not so excited about that, but I'm praying about that one, and we'll see what God's got up his sleeve. It's not that I hate reception- I just hate the shifts... I am realizing more and more that I just can't handle the switching back and forth with nights as well as I was thinking I could... my sleeping problems have dissolved now that I have a consistent sleep schedule... not to say I don't have an occasional bout of night terrors... I do.. but.. yeah. Anyway. I'll keep you posted on that;)
I am really digging my life right now. Today, I walked out into town ALONE- something I haven't felt comfortable with since I left home. Togo wasn't safe to walk alone- I don't care who you talk to- it's just not... as is the case for most West African countries... so, I strolled out this morning ready to take on the world with a huge smile on my face: ) It was glorious. I realize every time I go to a new city how much I ADORE city life. I've always thought I'd love living in the country, but the more I travel, the more I realize my draw to cities. I love being able to walk virtually anywhere. I can see myself living in a city for sure in the next few years- I'll probably still have a car for practical reasons, but I don't plan on using it when I've got 2 perfectly capable feet and legs that can get me there. Really- they have the system completely right- You walk EVERYWHERE, and eat along the way, but you don't gain anything because 1)the food is 99% better for you than the US, and 2) you burn everything off.... awesome:)
Anyway.. I divert.
Tomorrow I go to Israel. The most common questions are: Are you ready? Are you Excited?
1) I'm not sure I"ll ever be ready. I did most of the work that I was told to do... note the word Most.. but.. yeah.. I feel prepared, but not ready... I mean.. how can you ever be ready to walk in the place where Jesus walked? Really, now.
2) I'M SO EXCITEDDD!! The more I dug into the material we were asked to read and just dove in, the more excited I got.. there's so much to see and do and I'm going to be exhausted after this trip, but I'm excited to see yet ANOTHER country and explore a new city for sure- especially one that has meaning to me personally. I"m really looking forward to seeing what God has to show me there. I am a huge history buff... well.. let me qualify that... I love GOING to the places where things happened and exploring what it might've been like and learning all about the details. I HATE reading about it and getting facts perfect, but I LOVE BEINNNNG there:) Put me in a museum- ESPECIALLY an art museum, and it's all over... I could spend days there just thinking about what it'd be like to be this person or in this place... this is going to be one of those amazing times where things just bounce off the page of my bible and into real life. I know it's not going to be this perfect amazing experience, but I do look forward to what it will be.
:)
This was a loaded post, but alas... that's what you get when I write;) Always loaded.
I won't be using my computer much while in Israel, except to upload pictures to it, which MAY mean you'll get some facebook picture updates(since it's much faster to do that there than on board), but no promises.
I'll catch you all on the flip side.
<3 Your excited explorer
Exhibit A...
Today, I went to Panaria, where I got a coffee and a pastry ... THEN, I got a sandwich made with facaccia, brie cheese, micro greens, tomato and amazingness along side a MASSIVE orange juice, which was fresh squeezed... it's this giant machine that they throw oranges into whole and it throws them around and juices them.... EPPPIC... All of this for a whoppingggg... 8 Euro.... aka 10 USD... Um... HELLLOOOO?!?! I could NEVER get any of that for this price let alone together at home... EVER... Wow!!
Anyway... For those wondering, I'm doing really well. I thought this time would be a lot harder on me than it has been. 95% of my friends have left and many for good, so it's a bit of a transition for me. I think part of it is that it just hasn't hit me yet that these people are gone for good... I think it will, and I dread that day, but for now I'm fine. Thankfully a lot of these people are people I see myself meeting again in the future, so that's always comforting.
I was able to switch jobs from June 1 till now, which was amazing. I LOVE working with these kids... it was a great time of getting to know them better, learn more about my leadership style- which things I need to work one, which worked, etc... it was also great to watch these kids really dig in to the discussions we had about the bible and the Psalms... well most of them did at least;) Our group LOVED to tell stories to eachother, so there were days our Devotion time went 30 minutes past what I'd planned because we just were on a roll with the stories:) My only disappointment is that it's over now and reception will have me back as of July 18. Not so excited about that, but I'm praying about that one, and we'll see what God's got up his sleeve. It's not that I hate reception- I just hate the shifts... I am realizing more and more that I just can't handle the switching back and forth with nights as well as I was thinking I could... my sleeping problems have dissolved now that I have a consistent sleep schedule... not to say I don't have an occasional bout of night terrors... I do.. but.. yeah. Anyway. I'll keep you posted on that;)
I am really digging my life right now. Today, I walked out into town ALONE- something I haven't felt comfortable with since I left home. Togo wasn't safe to walk alone- I don't care who you talk to- it's just not... as is the case for most West African countries... so, I strolled out this morning ready to take on the world with a huge smile on my face: ) It was glorious. I realize every time I go to a new city how much I ADORE city life. I've always thought I'd love living in the country, but the more I travel, the more I realize my draw to cities. I love being able to walk virtually anywhere. I can see myself living in a city for sure in the next few years- I'll probably still have a car for practical reasons, but I don't plan on using it when I've got 2 perfectly capable feet and legs that can get me there. Really- they have the system completely right- You walk EVERYWHERE, and eat along the way, but you don't gain anything because 1)the food is 99% better for you than the US, and 2) you burn everything off.... awesome:)
Anyway.. I divert.
Tomorrow I go to Israel. The most common questions are: Are you ready? Are you Excited?
1) I'm not sure I"ll ever be ready. I did most of the work that I was told to do... note the word Most.. but.. yeah.. I feel prepared, but not ready... I mean.. how can you ever be ready to walk in the place where Jesus walked? Really, now.
2) I'M SO EXCITEDDD!! The more I dug into the material we were asked to read and just dove in, the more excited I got.. there's so much to see and do and I'm going to be exhausted after this trip, but I'm excited to see yet ANOTHER country and explore a new city for sure- especially one that has meaning to me personally. I"m really looking forward to seeing what God has to show me there. I am a huge history buff... well.. let me qualify that... I love GOING to the places where things happened and exploring what it might've been like and learning all about the details. I HATE reading about it and getting facts perfect, but I LOVE BEINNNNG there:) Put me in a museum- ESPECIALLY an art museum, and it's all over... I could spend days there just thinking about what it'd be like to be this person or in this place... this is going to be one of those amazing times where things just bounce off the page of my bible and into real life. I know it's not going to be this perfect amazing experience, but I do look forward to what it will be.
:)
This was a loaded post, but alas... that's what you get when I write;) Always loaded.
I won't be using my computer much while in Israel, except to upload pictures to it, which MAY mean you'll get some facebook picture updates(since it's much faster to do that there than on board), but no promises.
I'll catch you all on the flip side.
<3 Your excited explorer
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